Junctions or splices involving electrical wiring generally should be sealed for protection against exposure to the elements, particularly moisture: for inhibition of deterioration from corrosion; to reduce the likelihood of an electrical short or the like; and, to enhance performance of the electrical system of concern. Generally, the junctions involve at least two, and often four or more, insulated wires brought together and exposed at a particular site of connection. The junctions may a variety of types including: connections having wires brought together from opposite directions, or a plurality of directions; and, pig-tail connections wherein the wires are generally directed toward the site of connection from a single direction. Generally, maintenance of a secure, conductive, connection and the point or points of engagement is facilitated through use of mechanical means such as by clamping, and/or with the use of welds or points of soldering. In the case of pig-tail connections, coil or spring-type caps may also be used to facilitate connection.
As previously indicated, generally connection involves exposure of conductive wire portions, from a plurality of extensions of insulated wire. The exposed portions, after the connection is made, should be protected from the environment, especially moisture. Numerous seals and seal methods for accommodating this have been developed. They include: wrapping the connection in insulating tape; molding a protective plug around the connection; sealing the connection with a heat shrink tubing adhesive arrangement; and, sealing the connection within or between sheets or layers of materials. In addition, closure arrangements have been developed.
Assembled devices such as automobiles, trucks, construction equipment, marine vehicles, mobile homes, generators, pump systems, construction machinery or the like may include a great many wire splices therein, at least some of which are environmentally sealed during assembly or manufacture. There has been some need for improvement in the design of such seals, to facilitate installation and enhance insulation and protection. Also, generally, through the life time of such devices, it may be necessary for maintenance or repair persons, mechanics etc. to gain access to the sealed splices. Typically, to accomplish this the worker removes factory-installed environmental seals, to work on the junction. After the maintenance process, generally the environmental seal must be replaced.
Many factory-installed environmental seals cannot be readily re-installed once removed. That is, often the removal process involves the destruction of the seal. Thus, the maintenance person is in a position of having to install a new environmental seal about the electrical junction.
Since the junction is, at the point of maintenance, typically positioned within a fully or nearly fully-assembled vehicle, piece of machinery or the like, the junction sometimes cannot be readily sealed via factory techniques. A reason for this is that factory techniques may involve complex or large assembly equipment that require access to a significantly disassembled unit. That is, often the junction is located at a difficult to access area in the assembled device. This can be a particular problem if significant equipment is needed to form the junction seal. Further, the mechanic may not have the special tools to construct factory seals.
As a result, the maintenance person generally must install any environmental seal, to be applied, by hand or with hand tools. In the past, this has typically been done either by wrapping the junction with insulating tape or the like, or enclosing the junction within some form of seal-closure or casing.
It is noted that there may be other instances in which exposed electrical components need to be environmentally protected. For example, a splice might be created in a field. For such situations, problems analogous to those discussed for factory-created splices have occurred.
Even with factory seals, there has been need for improvement. In particular, some factory seals can be difficult to break, when necessary for maintenance in the field. Further, some can be relatively difficult to install.
Electrical tape, while it provides fairly good electrical insulation, does not provide a particularly desirable environmental seal. A reason for this is that if tape is used on two or more substantially adjacent wires, the tape provides for no significant sealing in the area between the wires. That is, moisture and the like can invade the area of the junction by passage between adjacent wires.
Closure or casing arrangements have been somewhat more successful. However, many conventional arrangements have not been fully acceptable, for a variety of reasons including at least those described below.
The closure, for example, should be such as to facilitate relatively easy application, even in hard to reach locations. Some conventional arrangements have been relatively complex in design. These may be subject to problems of handling, during installation. Further, they may be difficult to orient properly, in use.
Secondly, many arrangements have not provided a desireable seal between adjacent wires, especially when used with arrangements involving 3, 4 or more wires. That is, some conventional arrangements seal fairly well when utilized on only a two-wire junction, for example those formed between two oppositely directed wires. However, with more complicated arrangements, conventional devices have in many instances not provided very good seals between substantially adjacent wires.
Further, many conventional arrangements have not handled multi-wire pig tail arrangements very well. A major problem relating to this is the same as above-described. That is, sealing with respect to substantially adjacent wires has not been well-effected in some arrangements.
It is also desirable that the closure be such as can be relatively easily installed on the wire, and retained in place. It is specifically desirable to provide a locking mechanism on the closure which will ensure retention of the seal. Further, relatively simple constructions are desirable as they can be easily manufactured and will be relatively inexpensive to prepare and use. Also, relatively universal constructions, which can be used on a variety of types and sizes of junctions, will be preferred, for convenience.
What has been needed has been an environmental protection closure for electrical junctions and the like a preferred form of which addresses the above concerns, with respect to both factory installation and field installation. In addition, a method for providing an effective environmental seal about an electrical junction and the like has been needed. What has been particularly needed has been a preferred arrangement and method well adapted for providing a good environmental seal about a multi-wire arrangement, involving a plurality of substantially parallel, or substantially adjacent, wires.